christopherjboyce

The return home

They say that the most difficult part of a journey is the return…

But when the whole journey has been about home, and that deep down the real destination was to get back to where the journey began, then maybe it won’t be so difficult this time.

It was the leaving that was most difficult on this journey. For once, I had nothing to run away from. For once, I left happy and contented. Which, I admit, had me questioning why I needed to go in the first place. Especially during the difficult moments…of which there were a few, as there always is.

But maybe this time I didn’t know that there was nothing to run away from when I set out and that I didn’t realise that I was as happy as I was. But I did know these things. And still I went…

Maybe it was for closure. Because it was not an easy road to finally find the home that I left to start this journey. Always moving and never settled.

I needed to walk through all the places I’d tried my best to call home in the past to understand that they were either not really homes in the way I needed, or I left before they even had a chance to become a passable home.

I needed to make peace with the past so I that I can live more fully in the present. So that all the happiness that regularly comes my way doesn’t pass by without me realising I have it.

It’s been two weeks since I finished. I’m back ‘home’ now. It turns out I was very tired – I put my body through a lot. I’ve been resting, taking it easy, and spending time with my sorely missed wife. She’s my home.

I’m happy to be back. But it was an odd feeling to board the train in London and spend 4 1/2 hours zipping through the country back to where I began. And odder still to pass by places I’d actually walked on – whole fields that took hours to cross whisked by in seconds.

I’ve been letting ideas for another book bubble around in my head. Could I write one based around this journey? Should I? I love writing, so I guess I must. Or at least start and see where it all goes…

*** The journey about home is at its safe and happy end – thank you for accompanying me.

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Published by christopherjboyce

Christopher is a happiness and wellbeing expert with over 15 years professional experience. He currently works as a consultant, is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Stirling, a Wellbeing Economy Alliance Research Fellow, and a member of the World Wellbeing Panel. As an academic from 2005 to 2017 he explored how the economy contributes to individual and national happiness and wellbeing. However, in 2017 he left academia to go on a cycling pilgrimage to Bhutan and wrote a book about his journey titled, ‘A Journey for Happiness: The Man Who Cycled to Bhutan’. The book is available on his blog.

2 comments

  1. Good to hear you are now much rested it was always going to be a bit of a mission but you did it full marks to you for all the effort you put into it.So Croydon did you find what you were looking for ,did it disappoint or give HAPPY vibes to go back to your childhood days. Anyway well done , love always Dad xx

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